1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus for draining viscous fluids such as oil and the like from various mechanical and electro-mechanical components such as internal combustion engine parts. More particularly, the invention pertains to a fluid drainage pan which facilitates the drainage of oil from internal combustion engine and engine-related parts such as cylinder heads, cam shafts and oil filters and the direct transfer of the oil to a standard size collection drum for recycling.
2. Description of the Related Art
Associated with the general maintenance and repair of internal combustion engines is the need to remove various viscous fluids such as spent or used engine oil, transmission fluid, and brake cylinder fluid before maintenance and repair of the engine components associated with these fluids can be performed. For example, it is often necessary to remove all oil and engine grime from engine components in order to rebuild the components or to adjust tolerances between moving component parts. Additionally, government regulations in some localities now require that spent oil be collected for reprocessing rather than discharged into the environment, as had previously been permitted.
Prior to the development of the present invention, mechanics would collect oil for reprocessing by using simple funnels inserted into storage drums to collect oil drained from engine crankcases and filters. Mechanics would also make an effort to drain oil into the funnels from larger engine components such as cylinder heads and cam shafts by holding, to the extent possible, the engine components over the funnel for a period of time. However, because many engine components are awkward in size and/or quite heavy, oil collection in this manner has not been very successful. As a result, unnecessarily large quantities of oil have to be removed from these engine parts by immersion or rinsing in chemical solvent baths. Use of the solvent baths to remove oil which could otherwise be drained if proper facilities existed is undesirable because it results in excessive use of solvent in order to adequately cleanse the engine parts and undue contamination of the solvent bath. This wasteful use of solvent is both exceedingly costly and a hindrance to the efficient operation of the repair facility, as only a few engine parts can be cleansed in the solvent bath at any one time due to space limitations in the bath and the frequent need to replace bath solvent due to oil contamination.
One example of a funnel used for transferring fluid into a storage receptacle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,725,622. The panel disclosed in this patent is provided for filling generally rectangular receptacles that are filled while in position in a shipping container. The funnel includes a funnel body formed from a container similar to that to be filled having at one of its corners a reduced funnel mouth for insertion into the opening of a can to be filled and support legs positioned at each of the three remaining corners. The support leg diametrically opposed from the funnel mouth includes a compressed spring assembly which provides for tilting of the funnel body toward the funnel mouth as the fluid level, and therefore the weight of the fluid, within the funnel body diminishes as fluid is transferred into the storage receptacle. A remotely controlled valve is provided at the opening from the funnel body into the funnel mouth to control the flow of fluid through the funnel mouth.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,521,212 provides a funnel for filling drums or barrels that are oriented in a horizontal rather than a vertical position. The funnel includes a funnel body which is supported above the horizontally-oriented drum by a pair of spaced apart, parallel legs that extend the length of the funnel body. A rigid spout extends downwardly from one end of the funnel and is bent so as to extend in a direction generally parallel to the bottom of the funnel body so that it can be inserted into the drum inlet.
U.S. Patent No. 1,554,589 relates to a portable oil drain pan for receiving spent oil drained from engine crankcases. The pan is mounted on rollers and includes a funnel which directs oil drained into the pan to a storage tank associated with the drain pan. A sealable drain pipe extending from the storage tank provides for drainage of the spent oil from the storage tank into another vessel. However, neither this patent, nor any of the references described above, discloses a fluid drainage apparatus for draining spent oil and the like from large engine components directly into a storage vessel such as a standard 55 gallon drum for recycling.
Accordingly, it is an object to the invention to provide a fluid drainage pan which facilitates the drainage of viscous fluids such as engine oil from components placed inside the pan.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, easy to use fluid drainage pan which provides for the drainage of oil from even large engine components prior to subsequent solvent cleansing of these components.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a fluid drainage pan which can be securely mounted on top of a fluid collection vessel such as a standard 55 gallon drum to provide for direct transfer of fluid drained from components placed inside the pan into the collection vessel.
These and other objects and advantages of the subject invention will become apparent from the detailed description set forth below.